Coastal Zone Policy

Impact Assessment towards a follow-up to the EU ICZM Recommendation

The evaluation of the EU ICZM Recommendation in 2007 (COM(2007)308) showed that while the ICZM approach and principles were valid and could still support ICZM implementation in the immediate future, in the mid-term the need for a new or revised instrument would need to be reviewed.

The formal reporting timeline of the Recommendation ended in 2006. Furthermore, since the adoption of the EU ICZM Recommendation in 2002 the EU policy context has changed significantly, with the adoption of new sectoral instruments as well as horizontal policy initiatives (e.g. the adoption of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the emergence of the overarching Maritime Policy with tools such as maritime spatial planning). Moreover, the Protocol on ICZM (Barcelona Convention) is the first significant step in the development of international legislative instruments for ICZM. It is also recognised that more prominent consideration needs to be given to adaptation to risks and climate change.

The roadmap for the ICZM impact assessment can be downloaded here (version October 2010).

Given the need for coherent planning of coastal and maritime areas, the impact assessment for a follow-up to the EU ICZM Recommendation is conducted in conjunction with the assessment of possible future action on maritime spatial planning.

A public on-line consultation forms a core element of the Impact Assessment. Interested parties could contribute to it from 23 March to 20 May 2011. In total 225 participants replied. The consultation report can be downloaded here.

To complete the on-line consultation a hearing on ICZM took place the 30 May 2011. Experts from all over Europe followed the invitation to Brussels to express their views on the problems and priorities to be addressed as part of future EU action to support further ICZM implementation. The hearing documents can be downloaded here:

An impact assessment report will sum up the results of the reports, studies and consultations (mid-2011).

Based on the results of the impact assessment, the Commission will prepare proposals to follow-up to the EU ICZM Recommendation, in conjunction with Maritime Spatial Planning as appropriate (end 2011).

A major OURCOAST conference will be held 27-28 October 2011, in Riga (Latvia).